Filling machine for gas mask canisters



' April 26, 1949.

Filed May 2, 1940 ATTORNEY Ap 26, 1949. s. M. JESSOP FILLING MACHINE FORGAS MASK CANISTERS .Filed Ma 2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-6A FIG- 6BINVINTOR JTUART M JESJOP April 26, 1949.

s. M. JESSQP FILLING MACHINE FOR MASK CANISTERS e Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledMay 2, 1940 ATTORNEY April 26, 1949. s. JESSOP 2,463,076

FILLING MACHINE FOR GAS MASK OANISTERS Filed May 2, 1940 I 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Arroaucx April 26, 1949. s. M. JEssoP FILLING MACHINE FORGAS MASK CANIS'I'ERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 2, 1940 29.25 mupimuaamvgm-un STUART M 75860! M ATTGRNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1949 FILLINGMACHINE FOR GAS MASK CANISTERS Stuart M. Jessop, Baltimore, Md.

Application May 2, 1940, Serial No. 332,918

12 Claims. (01. 22696) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) The invention described hereinmay be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes, Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a filling machine for gas mask canisters.These canisters are connected with the iacepieces of gas masks and areso arranged that all inspired air passes through and is purified by'thecanister.

Gas masks canisters usually contain a quantity of granular activatedcharcoal which extracts harmful gases and vapors as the air passesthrough it. This charcoal must be firmly packed into the canister inorder that there will be no movement of the charcoal which might causethe formation of channels through which the inspired air would passwithout being purified. However, the packing must no be strong enough tocrush the granular charcoal.

An object of this invention is to provide an automatic machine forfilling and packing granular absorbents into gas mask canisters.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic machine forfilling granular absorbents into a plurality of gas mask canisters whilethe canisters are caused to vibrate to thus settle and pack theabsorbent.

Another object is to provide a filling machinewherein a plurality of gasmask canisters are filled with absorbents while rotating about a centralaxis and are simultaneously vibrated vertically, and wherein eachcanister is released from the vibrating mechanism as it arrives at astation for removal from the machina whereby the packed absorbent is notdisturbed.

A further object is to provide a machine for filling canisters withgranular absorbents and which is 'fully automatic except for the placingof empty canisters therein and the removal of filled canisters.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following descriptionand claims when considered with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure1 is afront elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is atop plan.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section online 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a part section on line .5--5 .of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective 'viewof a stationary member forming part of avalve assembly.

,FigurefiA is .a perspective view of :a slide member formi g partof-said valve assembly. v

Figure 6B is a view similar to Figure 6 and showing a second stationarymember of said valve assembly.

Figure 6C is a perspective view of a perforated valve plate.

Figure 7.is a side elevation of the cam .for controlling the verticalposition of the canisters in the machine.

Figure 8 is a broken plan of the feed hopper for the granular absorbent.

Figure 9 is a section on line 99 of Figure 8.

In brief, the present machine has a horizontally rotatable carrier uponwhich is supported ten canisters to be filled. At an operator's station,one filled and packed canister is removed and an empty one inserted inthe carrier. As the empty canister is rotated away from the operatorsstation, a feed mechanism automatically opens to allow granular charcoalto fall into the canister, and at the same time all canisters, exceptthe one at the operators station, are vibrated vertically to cause thematerial to'pack. As a filled canister approaches the operators station,the feed valve closes, and the canister ceases to vibrate.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the frame of angle or channel membersI supports a motor 2 which drives a reduction gearing 3, shaft .4 andpulley 5. Pulley 5 rotates carrier 6 by way of drive belt 1. Thecanisters being filled are carried beneath carrier 6,. as laterdescribed.

The granular absorbent, such as activated charcoal, is fed into anannular channel hopper 8 through pipes 9 and H, by gravity. Hopper :8,shown more in detail in Figs. 4 and 8, is carried by carrier 5 by meansof bolts l2 (Fig. 4) and therefore rotates with the carrier. Feed pipes9 project into the open top of hopper 8 and these pipes do not rotate.Hopper 8 has a plurality of openings l3 in itsbo-ttom, each openingcommunicating with a separate feed box l4. One such feed box is providedfor each canister mounted on carrier 6, there being ten such boxes inthe embodiment shown.

Beneath each filling or feed box I4 is mounted a canister I5. Thesecanisters are cans having closed bottoms and open tops, the walls beingformed of perforated metal, and are substantially rectangular in crosssection with rounded corners. The granular charcoal is fed by gravityfrom boxes l4 into canisters I5 through openings in rotary carrier 6, asfollows: Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, carrier 6 has ten plates I6 securedin alignment with boxes l4, each plate having a Series of openings 20therethrough. Plates 56 are cupped on their lower surfaces as seen inFig. 4 to receive the upper ends of the canisters i5. Above plates [6are cut-off valves each comprising stationary plates I! and I8 andmovable valve plates [9 between plates l1 and i8.

Feed boxes l4 contact with plates H, the open bottoms of these boxessurrounding openings 21 in these plates. Lower plate [8 has a series ofopenings 22 aligned with openings 28 of plate I5. Valve plates l9 areunperforated and are adapted to slide radially on rotary carrier toclose or open communication between boxes l4 and canisters l5. Plates l9have rollers 23 mounted on posts 24 these posts engaging in slots 25 inplates I! and la in order to guide plates [9. Valve plates I9 areactuated by engagement of cams with rollers 23, as hereinafterdescribed.

In order that the granular charcoal as received in hopper 8 may be fedthrough the feed openings It, the bottom of the hopper is provided witha series of sloping surfaces, as seen in Figs. 8 and 9. These surfacesare formed by a series of pyra mids 25 between openings l3, with theirhigh portions between the openings, and sloping down to the openings.

Referring to Fig. 4, rotary carrier 3 is secured to a hub 25 looselyjournaled on a central shaft 21. Hub 26 has an inwardly extendingshoulder 28 resting on a flange 29 of an electromagnetic vibrator 3|.Thus carrier 6 may rotate freely and may be reciprocated by vibrator 3!.

The supports for the ten canisters carried by carrier 5 are as follows.Referring to Fig. 4 wherein one support is shown, a support shaft 32 issecured to carrier 6 adjacent each filler box 14. Each shaft 32 hasslidably mounted thereon a canister support 33 having outwardlyprojecting arms 34 adapted to receive and support the lower end ofcanister l5. Canister support 33 is biased upwardly by a coiled spring35 surrounding shaft 32 and supported at its lower end by bolt 36threaded in the end of the shaft. A key 3'! prevents rotation of support33 on its shaft.

Each canister support 33 has a spring clip to retain its canister I5 inposition. As seen in Fig. 4 each canister has a bottom with anoutstanding flange 38. The spring clips have two arms 39 of flat stripmetal so spaced that they engage over flange 38 of each canister topress the same against support arms 34. The spring clips are pivoted onposts 4| for tilting movement and are biased by springs 42 engagingtheir upper surfaces.

In order that vertical vibration of each canister may be prevented whenit rotates to the operators station, each canister support 33 has aroller 43 which engages a cam 44 (see Fig. '7). Cam 44 comprises twodownwardly sloping surfaces 45 connected by a flat surface 48,projecting from an annular flange 41 of collar 48. The downwardl slopingsurfaces 45 serve to force the cam follower 43 vertically downward, thuslowerin the canister holder 34 and the canister 15 down and away fromthe rotary carrier 8. Collar 48 is secured to stationary shaft 21, as byset screw 49, Fig. 4. From the above construction, it will be seen thatas the carrier 6 rotates, the rollers 43 on the canister supports 33successively engage cam 44 and are forced downwardly against tension ofsprings 35. This movement lowers each canister 15 out of engagement withcup [6, so that it may be removed and an empty one put in place.

The cam 44 is so positioned on shaft 21 that each canister is lowered atthe operators station. When each canister is lowered, it is held againstvertical vibration, since although the depending shaft 32 movesvertically, the canister support 33 does not so move and shaft 32 merelyslides Vertically through canister support 33.

In order that the feed of granular absorbent may be cut off from eachfilled canister as it approaches the operators station and opens as theempty canister moves away, the following mechanism is used. Extendingacross the front of the machine is a frame member 5! upon which aresecured two inwardly extending arms 52 and 53 which support cams foroperating the cut-off feed valves. As seen in Fig. 5, arm 52 has a post54 upon which is pivoted a cam 55 which carries a pin 56 at its oppositeend. Pin 56 projects freely through an upstanding flange 51 on arm 52and is surrounded by coil spring 58. Cam 55 is thus biased outwardly toa point determined by a nut 59 on pin 56 and may pivot inwardly a shortdistance.

As carrier 6 rotates, the roller 23 on each valve member l9 engages cam55 and valve I9 is pushed inwardly to closed position. Cam 55 isresiliently pivoted, since some of the hard granular material will be inthe path of valve l9 and must be pushed aside or crushed. A more gradualmovement of the valve is obtained by this mounting. By the time thecarrier 6 has rotated so that a roller 23 has cleared cam 55, valve I 9is completely closed and remains in this position during rotation of itscanister carrier past the operators station.

Beyond the operators station, an opening cam 61 is positioned on arm 53.Cam 6i comprises a vertically extending flange on arm 53, angularlypositioned so that each roller 23 will engage the outer surface thereofand the corresponding valve l9 will be opened.

Referring again to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of vertical conduits 62 areconnected to a vacuum exhaust, their lower ends being turnedhorizontally at 63 beneath rotary carrier 6. Most of the fine particlesof absorbent are drawn upward through these conduits. A catch pan 64 ispositioned below carrier 6 to receive large particles of absorbentdropped from the machine.

Opevation.The operator starts motor 2 to thereby rotate carrier 6 in thedirection shown by the arrows, Fig. 5. Granular absorbent, such asactivated charcoal, is fed into pipe II and thereby flows into thechannel hopper 8 and is evenly distributed therein, since hopper 8 isrotating. The operator slips an empty canister l5 on the canistersupport arms 34, the flange 38 of the canister being gripped by arms 39.

As each canister support approaches the operators station, stationarycam 44 engages roller 43 and lowers canister support 33. After eachcanister I5 is in position, continued rotation of carrier 6 moves roller43 away from cam 44, and each canister support 33 moves upwardly due tospring 35, seating the open upperrim of the canister in cup I6. Cam 6|then engages roller 23 and valve I9 is pulled outward to open position.

The granular absorbent is fed by gravity through opening l3 into boxes[4, thence through openings in plates I1 and I8 and cup l6 into thecanister. Electromagnetic vibrator 3| will vertically vibrate carrier 6and nine of the ten canister supports, the tenth support being loweredfrom the carrier and will not be vibrated. Thus the absorbent packed byvibration in the canisterawill not be disturbed/when the canister hasreached the operators station.

After a filled canisterhas been removed, an empty one is slipped into.place. Rotation of carrier 6 moves the empty canister so that theroller 43 on its support clearscam :44 and spring 35 then moves. thecarrier .33 upward. The upper rim of canister 15 seatsinto. cup it readyfor filling.

Further rotation causes valve roller 23 to engage cam 6i, pulling valvel9 open. The absorbent then passes through plates l1 and I8 and theopenings 20 in cup l6 into the canister. Openings 20 cause the absorbentto be distributed into the canister. The valve remains open and thecanister is vertically vibrated to settle and pack the absorbent firmlyinto the canister.

It will be seen that rotation of carrier 6 is continuous and allcanisters except one are being continuously vibrated. This Vibrationduring filling results in packing the granular materials so thatsubsequent channeling is avoided.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the detailsshown herein by way of illustration, since variations may be madetherein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention nor exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for filling and packing granular absorbents into gas maskcanisters comprising a rotary carrier, means for supporting a pluralityof canisters beneath said carrier, means for continuously verticallyvibrating said carrier and canisters throughout its complete rotation,said carrier having an opening in alignment with each canister forpassing granular absorbents into the canister, a cut-off Valve for eachopening, stationary means engageable with each valve during rotation ofsaid carrier to open and to close each valve, and means to lower eachcanister away from its filling opening in response to rotary movement ofsaid carrier.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the means to lower eachcanister comprises a cam positioned between the stationary means toengage each valve.

3. A machine for filling and packing granular absorbents into gas maskcanisters comprising a perforated horizontally rotary carrier, means tovertically vibrate said carrier, a canister support beneath eachperforation, each support being vertically slidable on a shaft carriedby the rotary carrier, valved feeding means for dropping granularabsorbents into the canister, and means operative during a minor portionof the travel of said canister about the center of said carrier tosuccessively lower each canister support as the carrier rotates.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein each canister support isspring-pressed upwardly to hold its canister in engagement with thecarrier.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein each canister support isspring-pressed upwardly to hold its canister in engagement with thecarrier, and the means to successively lower each canister supportcomprises a stationary cam for engaging and lowering each supportagainst tension of its spring.

6. A machine for filling and packing granular absorbents into gas maskcanisters, comprising a horizontally rotary carrier, electromagneticmeans to vertically vibrate said carrier, a plurality of perforatedfilling cups on said carrier,

an absorbent: container. above-said filling cups, a slide valve forclosing communication between each cupand container, stationary camsengageable with said valves to open and-closethe same as the carrier; isrotateda canister support beneath each filling cup and adapted to holdthe open upper end of a canister against said filling cup, and means tosuccessively lower each canister support. and canister as the carrierrotates.

'7. The invention as definedin claim 6, wherein each canister support isslidable upon a shaft depending from the rotary carrier, and eachsupport is pressed upwardly by a spring.

8. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein the means tosuccessively lower each canister comprises a cam having ascending anddescending surfaces connected by a level surface, positioned to engage apart on each canister support.

9. A machine for filling and packing granular absorbent material intogas mask canisters comprising a horizontally rotary carrier, means forsupporting a plurality of canisters beneath said carrier and rotatabletherewith, a plurality of filling cups supported on the upper surface ofsaid carrier, each cup being vertically aligned with a canister, anannular feed hopper carried by said carrier and communicating with eachcup, a sliding gate valve between each cup and its canister, cams toopen and close each gate valve in response to rotation of the carrier,springs on said carrier to press each canister upwardly into engagementbeneath its cup, and means responsive to rotation of said carrier topull each canister downwardly and out of engagement with its cup.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein means are provided forvertically vibrating the rotating carrier, filling cups, feed hopper andthe raised canisters.

11. In a filling machine of the class described, a carrier mounted forrotary movement and embodying a circular series of spaced valves each ofwhich includes a slide shiftable in a plane radial to the axis of saidcarrier, a pair of spaced cams overlying the carrier, one of said camshaving a rigid cam surface and the other of said cams having a resilientcam surface, and each valve slide equipped with an instrumentalityengageable with the respective cam surfaces to effect sliding movementof the slide first in one direction and then in an opposite direction,whereby said valves are successively opened and closed during rotarymovement of said carrier.

12. In a filling machine of the class described, a carrier mounted forrotary and vibratory movements and equipped with a series of valvesequidistantly spaced apart and respectively provided with a slide havinga cam-contact element, fixed cams overlying said carrier, one of saidcams having a rigid cam surface with which th camcontact element of therespective valves coacts to effect an opening of the valve, and theother of said cams having a resilient cam surface for co-action with thecam-contact element to eifect a closing of the valve; and thecam-contact element of each valve and the cam surface of each cam beingdisposed in such a plane relative to the plane of the carrier and alsoso proportioned in depth as to maintain contact between a camcontactelement and a cam surface during vibratory action of the carrier.

STUART M. JESSOP.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED 'The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,891 Pierce June 22, 1897797,145 Nickerson Aug. 15, 1905 1,254,190 Baker Jan. 22, 1918 NumberNumber

